Persona: Dawn of the End
by Irisu-Zerone
Summary: Ashley Selvers was an ordinary school boy. Homework, friends and teachers, that was all life was about to him. However, Armageddon is drawing near and Ashley finds his hometown, Singapore, plunged into chaos. When all is lost, powers awaken in chosen ones. Now armed with the power of Persona, Ashley and his friends begin to investigate, and to halt an early Armageddon.


Chapter 1: Ashley Selvers

"Master…"

My eyes snapped open to a place I did not recognise.

The thing that immediately irked me was the amount of blue and purple that covered the area I was in. Velvet, I might even say. A small room, it was, with only a large royal table set in front of me and masks with a black and white side which hung of its walls.

It took me a mere second to realise I was not alone. Sitting behind the table and facing me was a short, balding man with the longest nose I've ever seen dressed in a tuxedo. His bulging red eyes bore into me as did his maniacal grin. Opening my mouth, I tried to speak but realised that I had seemingly lost my ability to speak.

"Welcome to the Velvet Room," the man spoke creepily, causing me to shiver slightly, "My name is Igor, and I am delighted to make your acquaintance."

I stepped back, mostly out of fear. Who was this person, how in the world did I end up in this place? Lips trembling, I tried to force out a sentence, "Am…am I dreaming?"

"This is a place between dream and reality, mind and matter," Igor continued, his smiling never once shrinking, "Only those who possess a special power can enter this place."

A special power? What on earth is he talking about now?

"Now, can you state your identity."

The question shocked me the most. I've never really been questioned on my "identity" before. Was he asking my name? I stared into his face.

"I…my name…"

Strange, why couldn't I remember who I am?

"I'm…I…"

"Do not force yourself," Igor raised his hand, signalling that I stop struggling, "not everyone can remember their true identity when they first enter here. My master once told me that before."

Master, what? There he was again, going on in strange riddles. I didn't forget my name, I couldn't have. I just don't know my…

My "identity"?

Once more I tried to force out anything, even a voice.

Nothing.

"But now time marches on in your own world," Igor waved his hand, "it'd be best we save this conversation till a later date."

"Till we meet again…"

No, wait a minute!

**Location: Northfield Secondary School**

…

My head…hurts so much.

Damn this, I feel sleepy as hell right now. Was I dreaming about something?

I can't remember ANYTHING.

"…sh…"

Voices?

"OI, WAKE UP!"

I felt a strong force push me out of….whatever was going on with me. I fell hard and fast, head hitting the floor immediately. Somehow…I didn't feel as much pain as I thought I would feel. To me these kinds of things are like a daily occurrence of life.

Life…if you asked me what that word meant to me, I really can't say much. Honestly, what can I say? If you'd ask me questions like, what I ever did in my life so far I can name down many things: went to kindergarten, never really made any friends, burnt my finger, sprained an ankle, played my first game and old that stuff? Yeah I can give you a crap load.

But seriously, don't bother asking me what I'm currently living out my life for. To me it goes like this: I don't understand people sometimes. See, the people of my day and age in this world run on these few words: Stereotype, cliques, cool or uncool. I'm not so sure about you out there but seems to me most are like that anyway.

People have said many things about me, some I don't think I want to go into. But what do I say about myself? Well, let's just say maybe certain things I'm not so proud of. Wouldn't anyone dropping the stereotype bomb on me now would I? Let's just say I'm not the first guy you would pick for the soccer team, or maybe one of the last few to be chosen as a group buddy?

Yeah, that about sums it up.

But enough of all that, it's pretty boring hearing me ramble on. Now…where was I?

Oh yes, pushed out of something.

I looked up, only to see my classroom desk and seat which I had once been sitting on. Beside me lay an extremely heavy haversack, which was definitely mine.

"Oi, Ash? What the heck are you spacing out there for? Last period is over, let's get going."

I recognise that voice anywhere.

"Yeah sure, Jon. But would you please be so kind next time as to not wake me up with punches or jabs?"

Jon shot me his usual smirk and helped me get up (it was painful, I'll give) with his free arm while scratching the back of his head with the other. As far as memory takes me back, Jon's been my good buddy since we met at the sports carnival when we were nine. It just so happened we were on the same school and same team. I don't remember much but…I think it was over some fan-boying over games that we became friends.

Jon was a multi-talented dude. He could do almost everything well, even if he didn't want to be good at it. Though he sometimes has questionable reliability on things like homework, he's an ok guy. And I think I need not mention this but…

He's strong as a bull.

Oh, in case you're wondering? I'm in my fourth year of secondary school, which means I'll be officially sixteen this year...though I honestly don't feel different.

I mean, I can't drive a car even...

Right now, the bell had rang and students from all the classes poured out. There would usually be a bunch of girls in my class who'd stay in the back and chat and message on their cell phones, but I guess not always huh?

"Ash! Hurry up and pack man!"

Oh right, spacing out again.

Grabbing the books from under my table, I got to the tiny excuse for a locker outside my class top open and, after taking my phone and my other stuff, shoved the books in and locked it tight. Heaving my ridiculously heavy bag over my shoulders, Jon and I made our way down to the school's foyer.

Now, I thought to myself as I raised my watch and ignored Jon's rambles about some things I could care less about, they should be calling me in about 3…2…1…

"Wassup, Ash!"

"What the heck took you so long?"

"Hey, Selvers!"

Oh, I haven't rightly introduced my name have I? I'm Ashley Selvers, your average Singaporean student, but most of my friends just call me Ash (Ashley sounds a little girly…), a guy with a not-too-insane amount of well rounded hair and spectacles that were getting a bit too small for me.

I wouldn't call myself the popular sort, far from it in fact. But one thing I do dare say is that I have a pretty darn lots of friends. You know, gotta make the most out of secondary school before moving onto tertiary education.

I untangled the earphones and plugged only the right end into my ear. I usually blast those volumes pretty loud, so I need at least one side that helps me to listen to the outside world.

"Hey Ashley, you wanna go for lunch at Broadway?"

"No thanks," I yelled after some guys, "I'm skipping lunch today, thanks!" Okay look, I'm not anorexic, I'm not a big eater.

I don't usually stay in school to hang with friends or what not, unless my after school clubs on Monday's and Thursday's require me to do so. Or maybe extra classes on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday...

Alright, I have little free time...

Ignoring rants and protests from Jon to stay awhile, I plugged in the left side of my earphone and walked out of the school gate where to the left stood the soccer field with an open gate. Now that was dangerous, what if the ball the dudes were playing shot out and…

"HEY! WATCH OUT!"

Me and my stupid mouth…

*BAM*

The ball headed straight into my face and knocked me of the platform and I slammed back down, butt onto pavement. Rushing up to me, one of the boys grabbed his ball and quickly headed back.

Geez…wouldn't kill to apologise…

Funniest thing? In all the past five minutes in which this happened, I hadn't even found a music track to play, and no one cared that I got rammed by a ball.

Amazing how ignorant people can be sometimes don't you think?

Picking myself up from the ground, I picked up my IPhone (which disconnected from my earphones, no thanks to whichever shit head shot the ball at me), and stuffed the plug back in. As if on cue, the bus that I needed to take to go home came.

Yay coincidences!

I hurried to the bus, although there was no need to since the doors weren't even open. I get a little paranoid about buses, since I hate missing them and waiting for another one to come.

*BAM*

I swear, why the heck am I getting hit by so many things today.

"Alright…" I gritted my teeth, "what the hell just-"

"I'm sorry!"

At the sound of an extremely elegant sounding voice, my head jerked up to see a girl, couldn't be much older than me, with long and flowing brunette hair and oddly red coloured eyes. From the looks of it, she wasn't from a school around here.

I mean look at that…extremely short skirt! I don't know any schools in Singapore which have their standard skirt length at ABOVE knee level.

And those eyes...I'm pretty sure those were contact lenses.

My eyes shifted slightly, only to notice the doors of the bus closing and…WAIT WHAT!?

*vroom….*

I didn't even bother chasing after the bus as I the roar of the engine got softer and softer.

Dang it.

Noticing my gaze on the bus, the girl started apologizing again, "I'm sorry, I am SO SORRY!"

Man…she's loud, but its not totally her fault I guess.

"Hey, no sweat," I gave her a quick its-alright-smile and picked up her books, "crazy stuff happens to us all."

"Really now?" she curiously asked as she took back her books, "either ways, did you miss your bus? If you did, I'm so-"

Ok…her apologies were getting annoying.

"Look, DON'T apologise alright? You did nothing wrong. It was just…"

"Ashley? What are you doing here?"

I am so easily distracted today…

Jon's voice caused my head to snap around, "I kind of bumped into somebody here and missed the bus so…" Damn! I better watch what I say, or she'll start apologizing again!

"Look," I turned back to her, "you don't have to keep apo-"

Huh?

No…no way!

"What's the matter, seen a ghost?"

As a matter of fact Jon? I need to ask you something.

"Did you see a girl here on the floor with me?" I asked him, wanting to make sure I wasn't seeing things. Of course, knowing the ever wise-cracking Jon, he broke into laughter.

"Of course I so saw YOU AND A GIRL ON THE FLOOR WITH EACH OTHER!"

"Bloody hell I'm serious here," I face-palmed and groaned, "did you see a girl with brunette hair, red eyes that were probably contacts and a black school uniform with a mini-skirt?"

What he said next shocked me.

"You mad bro? What do you think this is, an anime where the ghost girl vanishes."

"There was no one lying on the floor besides you.

**Street C. First Avenue**

**Selver's House**

Holy COW!

I think all my stress and homework has really gone to my head. First, I keep running into things and people I don't ever run into. Second, one of those people I run into turns out to be IMAGINARY? I mean, what the freak, seriously.

What is wrong me?

With my mind wandering and all, I absently glanced over to the corner of my room from my angle on the bed. There lay a long, sleek though slightly rusted fencing foil.

I liked fencing, I really did, but I didn't have the time to continue it. I do still pick up the blade once in awhile to practice a few moves, but that's it.

Oh yes, I'm back home now, stripped of my school attire and into some random singlet and shorts. I couldn't take it you know? So much stuff happened I just had to lie down on my bed.

See, so it's like this on most school days. Get up from bed, brush my teeth and change. Eat some breakfast and dad will send me to school (he insists). Go through the whole day of school and pack up. On Monday's and Thursday's I have clubs till late in the afternoon. After schools on Wednesday's and Friday's I go for extra classes.

Ordinary as ordinary can get huh?

Sometimes, I wish that something interesting will happen in my life, a special event or maybe even somehow gain an ability (though the last one did seem rather childish). I've been told once by my mother, "You have a gift, God blessed you with a gift, Ashley. For all you might know, this gift happens everyday in your life."

Yeah right, gift? That's a load of nonsense, I'm just ordinary.

"Just for once…let something cool happen to me…"

With that childish thought in mind, I drifted off to my afternoon sleep. And if I for one bothered, I might have noticed that small, blue butterfly flitter across my room…

_It's starting..._

* * *

This is…the third time I'm re-doing it, and I think I got it right.

As I said before, ain't gonna be 100% original (other cast may appear). But stay tuned, I've finally got the plot straight!

Oh and, review please! It helps me.


End file.
